Requiem of a Legacy
by Rimlock
Summary: Despite his efforts to endure the traces of Henir within himself, Ain begins having doubts about his existence and mission. One day, he completely lost his faith and becomes dangerously consumed with corruption. How will the El Search Party react to this change from their comrade? What if there's something more sinister behind the scene?
1. Unheard Cries

Disclaimer: Elsword belongs to KOG. I own nothing.

This will be my very first "ongoing" fanfiction since my one shot. All the main characters will be in their 3rd job branch respectively. I have nothing else to say other than, enjoy!

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This will be my very first "ongoing" fanfiction since my one shot. All the main characters will be in their 3rd job branch respectively. I have nothing else to say other than, enjoy!

Within the rift of space and time, Ain is running aimlessly as his staggering breaths echo throughout the never-ending empty area. Admittedly, he has experienced this hellish nightmare before in the past. It held the same hopeless feeling within the sickening chaotic energy. Gradually, sweat and extreme anxiety were exposing on his damp face. He wants to escape so desperately. "I need to find a source of El energy..." he keeps telling himself over and over.

Ain suddenly hears an unfamiliar voice. "Accept it..." it echoes faintly.

The priest halted and turned around to confront whatever that was. "Wh-who's there?!" he cried out. However, there was no one to be seen.

The eerie voice repeated it, much louder this time. "Accept it..."

"Leave me alone!"

It keeps on repeating the same phrase, drilling it into the angel's mind like a buzzing parasite.

While Ain resumed running in the endless rift for several minutes more, something new finally appeared in the far distance, acting as a source of hope. It was a dim blue light. Is that El energy? He reached out for it with his hand, ignoring ominous chant that filled his ears.

"A...in..." a new voice called from beyond the light. Unlike the previous one, it was warm and mesmerizing.

"...Ishmael?"

"Ain..."

"Ain!"

Ain snapped back into reality with a small gasp before realizing that someone is shaking his shoulders. He is sitting on a log in front of a dying bonfire, in the middle of the Feita's army camp.

The Sheath Knight released his hands from the priest's shoulders, his face expressing great concern. "You were so zoned out! Are you alright?" the boy asked him, a bit weary.

Ain rubs his forehead, taking a brief moment to process what just happened. It appeared that the entire nightmare was only a vision within his mind; a trance so to say. It was thanks to Elsword that he was able to regain his consciousness.

"Sorry... I was... thinking too deeply into my thoughts. I'm fine." Ain responded back, trying to act naturally as possible. Of course, what he said wasn't the truth.

"You sure about that?" The young redhead raised an eyebrow at his statement. How could someone become so dazed like that? He was shaking him for a long minute or two for crying out loud!

The man nods with reassurance, "Yes. Anyway, shouldn't you be heading to sleep right now, Elsword?

"But shouldn't you be in bed too? Come on, let's go to our tents. We'll be investigating in the Spiral Corridor early tomorrow."

"I see... so he was worried about me." Ain thought.

Slightly smiling, the man makes a subtle 'shoo-away' gesture. "You can go ahead without me. I want to stay here a little longer," he said.

"Well... Alright then, just remember that you're sleeping on top bunk tonight. Raven has already taken the bottom. I hope you're not too bothered with his snoring."

The priest blinked. Mr. Half-Nasod snores? Well, whatever. It's not like he will be sleeping there to hear such a thing.

He answered with a soft sigh, "Have a good night."

"Right, good night!" With that, Elsword departed to his tent.

Ain made sure that no one is around before taking out his pendulum. It's best to end intervention right now to conserve his strength for tomorrow. However, a sudden jolt of pain shot throughout his body, causing him to double over. He then wrapped his arm around his waist in excruciating agony.

"...Not again." he gritted, bitterly.

Not long ago after Ain developed the ability to use the void, his body has experienced numerous waves of pain on random occasions. It was clear that the more he uses the power, the more it negatively affects his body. However, the pain has gradually become worse ever since he came to Feita.

Ain, for a moment, grasped tightly onto his pendulum to break it, but as soon as he noticed something at the corner of his eyes, he hesitated. A new seed of chaos has grown right next to him, likely have taken shape due to his current unstable state. Instead of breaking his pendulum, Ain tucked it away, narrowing his eyes slightly as he did. This distress won't do. He needs a peace of mind before ending the intervention or else his body might be at risk of crumbling further.

With difficulty, Ain stood up and proceeds to leave the camp along with the seed following him.

After many minutes of walking, he arrived in an isolated wooded area and tilted his head up to look at the night sky. The constellations are glimmering ever so tonight. However, the beautiful view itself was not enough to ease the misery that he's feeling now, no matter how much he tries.

"Goddess Ishmael... are you here?" Ain begins praying, his emerald eyes glued to the stars. "Please, for once... Let me hear your voice again. Please... Help me. If you could cleanse Elrios with the power of El, you can cleanse me from this chaos, can't you?" he continues, "I've been enduring this pain till now, but I don't know if my body can last much longer..."

Ain waited for an answer. Nothing. Just noises of cricket chips from within the bushes.

Why isn't the goddess responding to him? How many times does he need to try before it finally reaches? How much longer will he have to suffer?

His emotions soon turn into frustration.

"If you could just grant that, I won't ask for anything else. I will follow my vow to restore the El no matter what the consequences are! I don't care if I will disappear! Ishmael!" His last sentence became loud and emotionally piercing, yet the silence remains.

Ain drops to his knees in despair.

"Ishmael..."

Despite the desperate calling, his voice didn't reach the skies above. The seed of chaos behind the priest has grown slightly as his silent cries reflect throughout the night.

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I will gladly appreciate constructive feedbacks and reviews. They are what fuels my motivation after all. Look out for future chapters! Thanks for reading!

For extra stuff, check out the art I made that came with this chapter!  
Link to art: /yaar6s37


	2. The Beginning of a Wanderer's End

A/N: Woah, it's been an over a year since chapter 1. My apologies for keeping you guys waiting. Good news is that I have an overarching outline of how I want the story to play out! Without further ado, here is chapter 2!

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Two weeks ago in Altera...

Ain is sitting on a bed which its size would fit for a small child. However, the same can not be said for the room itself; big enough to fill an extensive collection of alchemy and mechanical tools as the Ponggos frequently used them to invent new Nasod technologies. Once a month, Ain has required a check-up from the Ponggos to receive adjustments for the el-powered machine on his forearm. Its purpose was to sedate the dark power that dwelled in him.

The priest had his machine-wore arm laid out on a table for Agatha, the village's expert mechanic. She examined its inner wirings and the imbued el stone.

"Not good. The device is wearing down, pong." she said. "It can barely sedate your powers like last time."

"Can't you just build a new one?"

"The problem is that your powers are overpowering it, pong." Agatha closed up Ain's device. She sighed before wiping her forehead with a rag. Right then, Ain felt some degree of frustration. Not towards Agatha, but with the never-ending struggle of his growing corrupted power.

It was two years ago when the problem first arises and before it evolved into what it is now. Ain and the El search party was tasked to explore the Shadow Forest by Hoffman. It was supposed to be a run-of-the-mill mission. However, as soon he stepped into the forbidden place, he was wrought with the demonic energy that surrounded there. Despite the obvious warning, he decided to move on which would later become his biggest mistake. The energy became so overwhelming that something awakened inside him; the shard of Henir's energy that was imprinted into him before he escaped the Time and Space dimension. It's effects corrupted his goddess powers and clouded his mind with negative emotions of doubt, anger, and fear until he could see nothing but darkness.

Then he heard the El search party's callings.

It was Elsword who reached out to him first, having grabbed his shoulder from behind. By the time Ain gained back his awareness, he realized that the dark aura disappeared. However, he was met with consequences ever since then as traces of Henir continues to influence his body with passing time. The strange markings started from his hand, then it spread to his forearm, and finally his shoulder. Even his left eye became permanently corrupted.

Ain snapped himself out of his thoughts as he looked back at the blacksmith. "There has to be something you can do, Ms. Ponggo."

"Actually, there _is_ a temporary solution," Agatha responded. "Your only saving grace right now is to charge it up near a strong source of el. Unfortunately, that is something that Altera can't provide, pong."

"Then where should I go?"

"I don't know. That should be up to your traveling team, right? Pong."

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Feita, a once blessed place have been overtaken by darkness. Ever since they arrived, Ain's condition has worsened with recurring nightmares. It would be almost foolish to think el energy would still linger here. In doubt, he often wondered to himself,

 _Why did I agree to come here?_

 _Why should I help these people?_

 _Is this worthy as part of my mission?_

 _Did I make the right choice?_

Every time he asked those questions, he is reminded of what has been motivating him the entire time.

The fear of losing his purpose.

...

Ain aimlessly wandered in the thick forest, unable to understand why Ishmael didn't heed to his calls. As if things couldn't get any worse, the seed of chaos has started to grow, feeding on his conflicted emotions.

 _What should he do now?_

In sudden agony, Ain dropped to his knees and clenched onto his chest. "I can feel the chaos...growing stronger…" he grunted. "El energy...if I could only just find el…!"

With painful determination, he forced himself back on his legs. Just before he could take a step, a familiar voice chimed in.

" _How pitiful…"_

The priest immediately spun around. "Wh-Who's there!?" he cried out, only to see no one around. In sweat and horror, he staggered until his back hit against a tree. His heart started racing at the realization. "Th-This voice...I heard it before. No, It can't be…!"

" _Fear...Anger...Betrayal…"_ The mysterious monotonous voice continued to echo as if it was everywhere, and yet nowhere to be seen. Ain tried to run but instead collapsed when pain coursed through his body again. He groaned, tightly shutting his eyes and helplessly pleading for the voice to go away.

"SHUT UP!"

"Pitiful being…give in...accept…" it kept mocking him.

The seed of chaos pulsated and grew slightly.

"I-It's no use...I can not…Oh, heavens…forgive me...I..." Ain's voice became weak as if he's struggling to breathe. "Ishmael…Ishmael...please…"

" _No...one...will...save you…"_

Those words. They plagued him for how painfully truthful they are.

Right then, his sanity and reason slipped all at once.

" _Destroy…"_

Destroy...

" _Destroy…"_  
 _  
Destroy._

 _ **Destroy.**_

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A/N: Next chapter will be much longer. I appreciate everyone who reviewed! Thank you!


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